CHAD GREEN PULLS OFF BIG UPSET IN FIRST ROUND ON ‘HOLESHOT,’ TEXAS RACER ADVANCES TO QUARTERFINALS AT NEVADA NATIONALS

Green defeats Capps in the Opening Round of Funny Car Action in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS – Funny Car driver Chad Green pulled off a big upset in the first round of eliminations Sunday in the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals drag races with his CGM Flying H/Bond-Coat Ford Mustang with a “Holeshot” win over Ron Capps.

The 2025 Gatornationals champion did not have lane choice against Capps but the Midland, Tex., driver was quick off the starting line with a sensational 0.056-second reaction time to advance to the quarterfinal Sunday in the 19th round of the 20-race NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series.

Green clocked a 3.921-second time at 327.35 miles per hour to better Capps’ quicker 3.917 but Green’s jump off the starting line with 12,000-horsepower missile was the difference at the finish line. Green has been one of the top “holeshot” winners in the Funny Car division this year with four victories on quicker starting line reactions.

In the quarterfinal, Green went up against eventual Nevada Nationals race winner Matt Hagan and Chad’s mount smoked the tires at halftrack against the Virginia driver. Hagan scored wins over Daniel Wilkerson and Austin Prock in the next two rounds for the Las Vegas Funny Car title.

“We dropped a cylinder on the run against Hagan, but I don’t think we were going to run a 3.87 which Matt ran,” said Green. “I think our fourth ‘Holeshot’ is the most anyone in the Funny Car class this year. And we moved up to seventh in the Funny Car standings heading into Pomona, the final race of the year. So, it wasn’t a bad weekend.

“We have been running much better in the last five or six races after a tough patch in the middle of the season. I’m pleased with how the team has made the changes to improve the car. Each weekend is a little different with the air and track conditions. So, everyone has to adjust to those elements. We’ll test on Monday in Las Vegas and get prepared for another strong performance for the World Finals in two weeks.”

Green’s CGM teammate, Blake Alexander, a four-time NHRA national event winner, looked to advance to the quarterfinals Sunday at Las Vegas, but Alexander’s nitro-burning Pronto Auto Services Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car smoke the tires in the first round against Bob Tasca III and took the loss.

Green and Alexander will be back in nitro action at the season-ending In-N-Out Burger NHRA World Finals in Pomona, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 14, with qualifying rounds at 1:30 and 4 p.m. PST. Saturday’s (Nov. 15) qualifying will take place at 11:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. PST, with final eliminations on Sunday, Nov. 16, at 11 a.m. PST. The Fox Sports 1 Network will telecast Sunday’s eliminations at 5 p.m. EST/2 p.m. EST.